KEY POINTS:
All the pressure will be on raging-hot favourites Wellington when the mind games make way for the real game in tonight's Ranfurly Shield challenge at Eden Park.
At least that's how Auckland see it.
Being thoroughly written off in most quarters has removed the burden of expectation from the Aucklanders' shoulders, in-form flanker Onosa'i Auva'a says.
And, having repulsed three challenges already this season and coming into the game with back-to-back wins over Southland and Bay of Plenty behind them, Auckland have also become a team on the rise.
"We are going into the game without any pressure. The whole of the country is expecting Wellington to beat us," Auva'a said.
Wellington, on the other hand, come to town with little Shield experience, lugging 26 years of unfulfilled expectation and an unwanted favourites tag with them.
Lock Ross Filipo, a veteran of two near misses in challenges against Canterbury _ the 38-38 draw in 2003 and the 15-14 loss in 2005 _ said the challengers had been doing their best to ignore the hype in the capital.
"There has been a lot of media focus so we have tried to get real tight as a team and not really worry too much about what is going on in the rest of the world," Filipo said. "And we've been talking to the younger guys, saying, `This is a great opportunity for the team. Don't be scared of the challenge, embrace it."'
The bookmakers may fancy Wellington, who have compiled a largely untroubled seven-match winning streak, but history certainly doesn't. The Lions have won just two of 15 previous Shield challenge matches against Auckland _ in 1904 and 1963.
They have also lost their last 10 challenges, dating to back to 1982.
Auckland coach Shane Howarth, however, isn't much of a one for history.
"Everyone brings up the past but I don't think it bothers anyone. It's not going to be on [the players'] minds at 7.35pm tomorrow. It is just going to be who scores the most points wins. That is what's going to matter."
Scoring points is something at which Wellington have been adept this season, running in at least four tries in every match. Their open approach has made nonsense of the belief that the only way to play under the ELVs is to kick first and worry about playing rugby later.
The formula was simple, coach Jamie Joseph said.
"We don't kick the ball like [other teams] do. Rugby is about drawing and passing and beating the man, letting the ball do the work. We've got props who can pass like halfbacks and loosies that can run like backs. And when guys enjoy their rugby they play a lot better."
Scoring tries has hardly been Auckland's forte this season but the four they posted in last Friday night's stunning second-half comeback against the Steamers had provided a timely confidence boost, Auva'a said.
The back-up openside came off the bench in that match for the injured Daniel Braid _ with whom he has been bracketed tonight _ to score two of those tries, including an impressive 30m sprint to a loose ball to claim the matchwinner.
"The whole team stepped up," he said. "For myself, getting on the field and not knowing how long I was going to play for, I just had to go as hard as I could, as crazy as I could, and try and get involved as much as I could."
With no further back-up named on the bench, Braid appears likely to start tonight but Auva'a's sizzling form means he will certainly get an extended run.
Auckland might just have turned the corner in the past two weeks but Wellington are a significant step up from Southland and Bay of Plenty.
"I think [the players] understand that this side coming up is probably a bit different to what we have faced this season.
"They have got the core experience and they understand where to play the game. They are very, very dangerous if you don't look after the ball and that is something we have focused on this week. We have got to look after the ball or we'll be chasing shadows all game."
The appointment of Steve Walsh as referee will have sent shudders through Wellington fans who still remember his performance in a two-point defeat by Canterbury in a 2001 Shield challenge.
Walsh's lopsided penalty count in that match was a factor in Canterbury overturning a 19-point deficit with a late Ben Blair try.
Filipo insisted Walsh's presence would not be a factor, while Howarth laughed out loud when asked if he had any concerns.
"No, I haven't. Apparently some people have but I quite like Walshy."
AUCKLAND'S REIGN
September 29, 2007: Beat Canterbury 26-18 in Christchurch to claim Ranfurly Shield.
July 17, 2008: Beat Poverty Bay 54-3 in Gisborne.
July 22, 2008: Beat North Otago 113-3 in Oamaru.
August 10, 2008: Beat Taranaki 22-6.
August 23, 2008: Beat Manawatu 25-3.
September 6, 2008: Beat Southland 13-9.
